A Chief Minister who was an army intelligence man

The 54-year old chief minister belongs to the Monpa tribe, who live in Kameng Division of Arunachal Pradesh in which Tawang District is located. Monpas are a pastoral people who follow Tibetan Buddhism.
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By. Col. R. Hariharan

(October 27, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) In the context of the ongoing war of words between China and India, it is interesting to note that Dorjee Khandu, the new chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh had served in the Intelligence Corps of the Army for more than seven years. [Although the Intelligence Corps is a small one, I have not come across him during my long years of service.] The news report says that he had received a gold medal for his meritorious intelligence services during the Bangladesh War.

The 54-year old chief minister belongs to the Monpa tribe, who live in Kameng Division of Arunachal Pradesh in which Tawang District is located. Monpas are a pastoral people who follow Tibetan Buddhism. They consider the Dalai Lama as their spiritual leader. In the heat created by China’s loud objections to the proposed visit of the Dalai Lama to the Tawang monastery because they consider it a part of “Southern Tibet” it is good to have a chief minister hailing from the region. This is in marked contrast to the status of Monpa tribesmen who also live in Tibetan region across the Mc Mahon Line in Tawan area.

The chief minister was reported to have taken keen interest in social activity of villagers of Tawang district. Due to his enthusiastic efforts, cultural and co-operative societies were established in Tawang. He also served them as the chairman.His interest in cultural activity is evident from the fact that he led the cultural troupe from Arunachal Pradesh to perform at the New Delhi Asian Games. He was also awarded the silver medal.

Dorjee Khandu was elected unopposed to the first Arunachal Legislative Assembly from Thingbu-Mukto constituency in 1990. Five years later he was re-elected to the Assembly from the same constituency. In 1996, he was made the Minister of State for Cooperation and later went on to become a Cabinet Minister for Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Dairy Development. During his tenure as Minister for Power in 1998, a number of small and medium sized hydel power projects were sanctioned.

Today Khandu is one of the richest politicians of the state. His declared asset is more than Rs 200 million.

It is good we have a chief minister in one of the frontline states who has military knowledge at a critical time in India-China relations. We wish him luck in his new appointment.

-Sri Lanka Guardian